


Beautiful

by leafykeen



Series: Carrie [1]
Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Anxiety, F/M, If this counts I honestly don't know, Shiro's scars, Someone love this boy already, Whump, shiro needs a hug
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-28
Updated: 2017-08-28
Packaged: 2018-12-20 20:36:27
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 702
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11928786
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/leafykeen/pseuds/leafykeen
Summary: Some nights, Shiro knew he couldn't sleep alone.





	Beautiful

**Author's Note:**

> So this is Carrie. She is no one, and everyone. Don't ask where she came from, because I haven't for the life of me been able to come up with a reason for her to be here, except that I want her to be, and in my very biased mind, so does Shiro.

Some nights, Shiro knew he couldn’t sleep alone. He could handle it more often than not, but there were days when he could feel the nightmares swirling beneath his skin, images haunting him if he so much as blinked for too long. Days when he woke up knowing that day would be hard, but that night would be unbearable. They had a signal for those days. Carrie could usually tell anyway. He’d be a little less focused, a little more easily distracted. She’d find him close to her a little more often that usual, and she’d make a point to smile at him, squeeze his hand, anything to remind him that she was there, and he was okay. The confirmation always came though, when they sat down to dinner, and he’d catch her eye and tug on his ear. It was a cliche that never failed to make her smile, and as far as they could tell, no one else picked up on it yet, although they had no doubt their little group of nosy teenagers would figure things out soon enough. 

It was innocent enough, of course. Shiro needed a reassuring presence to fall asleep in the first place, and he needed to not be alone when he woke up. Sometimes it was her wrapped up tight in his arms. Sometimes it was his face pressed against her neck, clinging to her like his life depended on it. Sometimes they lay side by side, not touching, just aware enough of each other to relax. 

He was stressed about… everything. She was worried about him. A fine pair they made. Nevertheless, she continued to care for him through the fears he never dared show anyone else, and he continued to trust her and care for her like no one ever had before. 

On this particular night, they lay facing each other talking about silly things. Anything that happens to pass through their minds. She talks in detail about how she takes her coffee, and he complains about the outdated plumbing in the apartment he hasn’t seen in a year. It is comfortable, and comforting, to speak of things that don’t really matter when it seems like everything else is life or death. 

They’ve been quiet for a few minutes. Her fingers are tangled in his hair, and his eyes are closed in relaxation, a sweet smile on his face. Carrie leans forward a bit to gently kiss the scar across his nose, and is surprised to see him frown. 

“You okay?” She asks softly. 

He nods, but the frown stays. She watches him, concerned for a few minutes, before he says, “Carrie?” 

“Yes, sweetheart?” 

His eyes are still closed, but she can feel the anxiety rolling off him in waves. “Can I ask you something?” 

“Of course.” 

“Do you… would you have loved me sooner if not for all the scars?” 

Her heart breaks, and her hand moves to his cheek. “Oh, Takashi.” His eyes open, filled with some emotion she can’t place. “Sweetheart, no. If anything, I’ve loved you even more because of them.” 

He sits up, shaking his head in confusion, and she follows. “How can being damaged possibly make you love me more? How can you look at this,” he held up his metal hand, “and see something worth loving?” 

Carrie took the hand in hers and kissed it. “Because it’s a symbol. It’s an image of what you’ve gone through. You’ve been through hell and back, and look at you. It has strengthened you, but it hasn’t hardened you. You are kind and compassionate. You are gentle and caring, if a little short tempered at times. The way you are with your teammates, with me… You’re a good man. And while I wish you’d never had to endure all of that torment, I could never, ever think less of you for it.” 

Shiro looked like he wanted to believe her, but he was having a hard time rationalizing what she said with the fear and anxiety that clouded his thoughts. Finally, he said, “But they’re so ugly-” 

She sat up on her knees, circled her arms around his neck, and kissed his scar again. 

“You are beautiful, sweetheart.”


End file.
